233031 KO Discussion Class Knowledge and Technology Cultures (2019S)
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Fr 01.02.2019 00:01 to We 20.02.2019 23:59
- Deregistration possible until Su 24.03.2019 23:59
Details
max. 25 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
- Wednesday 06.03. 09:15 - 11:15 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien (Kickoff Class)
- Tuesday 26.03. 14:00 - 16:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 09.04. 14:00 - 16:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 21.05. 14:00 - 16:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 18.06. 13:00 - 17:00 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
Assessment and permitted materials
The aim of the discussion class is to interactively deepen students’ knowledge of the concepts and cases introduced in the lecture. Students will also practice to apply the concepts discussed to different questions and cases in small group work.
Each discussion class unit will typically relate to a topical block of two to three lectures. In preparation of the discussion class units, students are required to review their notes and the slides of the respective lectures to identify the central concepts used and to prepare three questions they would be interested to address in the discussion. Questions can either address the concepts and cases discussed in the lecture directly, with the aim of a clarification of students’ understanding (e.g. in relation to other concepts), or open up broader discussions related to the respective topic discussed. Please note that the questions also have to be submitted if the student cannot attend the respective discussion class.Further, each student will read a book related to the lecture topic and write a book review of 1200-1500 words. The review should not be a chapter-by-chapter description of the book, but rather give the reader a good overall idea of the topic and the argument of the book. Try to identify the author’s main thesis or concern and describe how she/he develops it in the book. Describe which central concepts the author uses, how they are defined, and how they are used (e.g. in debating empirical material). Concluding the review, (a) comment on whether the book presents a convincing and well-rounded argument (that is, whether it comprehensively answers the questions it outlines), (b) comment on how the book’s argument relates to the overall topic of the class and (c) give a personal opinion of your reading experience.To pass the discussion class, students are expected to:
- Participate actively in the in-class discussions
- Prepare three questions for each discussion class session (to be handed in on Sunday before each discussion class)
- Write a book review (to be handed in until September 2nd, 2019)'This course uses the plagiarism-detection service Turnitin for larger assignments.'
Each discussion class unit will typically relate to a topical block of two to three lectures. In preparation of the discussion class units, students are required to review their notes and the slides of the respective lectures to identify the central concepts used and to prepare three questions they would be interested to address in the discussion. Questions can either address the concepts and cases discussed in the lecture directly, with the aim of a clarification of students’ understanding (e.g. in relation to other concepts), or open up broader discussions related to the respective topic discussed. Please note that the questions also have to be submitted if the student cannot attend the respective discussion class.Further, each student will read a book related to the lecture topic and write a book review of 1200-1500 words. The review should not be a chapter-by-chapter description of the book, but rather give the reader a good overall idea of the topic and the argument of the book. Try to identify the author’s main thesis or concern and describe how she/he develops it in the book. Describe which central concepts the author uses, how they are defined, and how they are used (e.g. in debating empirical material). Concluding the review, (a) comment on whether the book presents a convincing and well-rounded argument (that is, whether it comprehensively answers the questions it outlines), (b) comment on how the book’s argument relates to the overall topic of the class and (c) give a personal opinion of your reading experience.To pass the discussion class, students are expected to:
- Participate actively in the in-class discussions
- Prepare three questions for each discussion class session (to be handed in on Sunday before each discussion class)
- Write a book review (to be handed in until September 2nd, 2019)'This course uses the plagiarism-detection service Turnitin for larger assignments.'
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
Grading Scheme
The grading of the course is based on the separate assessment of different tasks on a scale of 1-5.
The relative weight of each task in relation to the overall grade is:In-class-participation: 40 percent, assessed individually, feedback on request;
Prepared questions: 30 percent, assessed individually, feedback on request;
Book Review: 30 percent, assessed individually, feedback on request;Minimum requirements
To successfully complete the course, a weighted average of at least 4,5 is required. Failure to meet the attendance regulations, to deliver course assignments on time or to adhere to standards of academic work may result in a deduction of points.Formal details for handing in written work
All written work must be uploaded in time to the respective folder on Moodle. All documents must be in pdf format, page numbered, in A4 format and contain the name of the student as well as the description of the assignment. Page numbers of assignments are based on 11 point font, 1 1/2 line spacing.Attendance
Presence and participation is compulsory. An absence of two hours (= 1 discussion class session) at maximum is tolerated, provided that the teaching assistants are informed about the absence. Absences of up to four hours in total may be compensated by either a deduction of points or/and extra-work agreed with the lecturer. Whether compensation is possible is decided by the lecturer.Absences of more than four hours in total cannot be compensated. In this case, or if the lecturer does not allow a student to compensate absences of more than two hours, the course can not be completed and is graded as a ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfil the attendance requirements on the student’s side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.Important Grading Information
If not explicitly noted otherwise, all requirements mentioned in the grading scheme and the attendance regulations must be met. If a required task is not fulfilled, e.g. a required assignment is not handed in or if the student does not meet the attendance requirements, this will be considered as a discontinuation of the course. In that case, the course will be graded as ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfill the task on the student's side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.If any requirement of the course has been fulfilled by fraudulent means, be it for example by cheating at an exam, plagiarizing parts of a written assignment or by faking signatures on an attendance sheet, the student's participation in the course will be discontinued, the entire course will be graded as ‘not assessed’ and will be entered into the electronic exam record as ‘fraudulently obtained’. Self-plagiarism, particularly re-using own work handed in for other courses, will be treated likewise.
The grading of the course is based on the separate assessment of different tasks on a scale of 1-5.
The relative weight of each task in relation to the overall grade is:In-class-participation: 40 percent, assessed individually, feedback on request;
Prepared questions: 30 percent, assessed individually, feedback on request;
Book Review: 30 percent, assessed individually, feedback on request;Minimum requirements
To successfully complete the course, a weighted average of at least 4,5 is required. Failure to meet the attendance regulations, to deliver course assignments on time or to adhere to standards of academic work may result in a deduction of points.Formal details for handing in written work
All written work must be uploaded in time to the respective folder on Moodle. All documents must be in pdf format, page numbered, in A4 format and contain the name of the student as well as the description of the assignment. Page numbers of assignments are based on 11 point font, 1 1/2 line spacing.Attendance
Presence and participation is compulsory. An absence of two hours (= 1 discussion class session) at maximum is tolerated, provided that the teaching assistants are informed about the absence. Absences of up to four hours in total may be compensated by either a deduction of points or/and extra-work agreed with the lecturer. Whether compensation is possible is decided by the lecturer.Absences of more than four hours in total cannot be compensated. In this case, or if the lecturer does not allow a student to compensate absences of more than two hours, the course can not be completed and is graded as a ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfil the attendance requirements on the student’s side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.Important Grading Information
If not explicitly noted otherwise, all requirements mentioned in the grading scheme and the attendance regulations must be met. If a required task is not fulfilled, e.g. a required assignment is not handed in or if the student does not meet the attendance requirements, this will be considered as a discontinuation of the course. In that case, the course will be graded as ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfill the task on the student's side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.If any requirement of the course has been fulfilled by fraudulent means, be it for example by cheating at an exam, plagiarizing parts of a written assignment or by faking signatures on an attendance sheet, the student's participation in the course will be discontinued, the entire course will be graded as ‘not assessed’ and will be entered into the electronic exam record as ‘fraudulently obtained’. Self-plagiarism, particularly re-using own work handed in for other courses, will be treated likewise.
Examination topics
Reading list
Association in the course directory
MA HPS neu: Modul 1.1, Modul 1.2, Modul 1.3
Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:39
That scientific knowledge and technologies are both an integral part of our cultures and strongly shape them - we indeed live in technological cultures and in knowledge societies.
To cover this broad field, the semester will be a journey through quite different topics and to many different places, from the arcane citadels of contemporary research to the mundane everyday use of technologies. We will engage with laboratory studies and newer approaches to analyze scientific knowledge production, particularly in the changing institutional landscapes of today; we will scrutinize how technological innovations are brought into being and how much our contemporary societies depend on technological infrastructures; and we will trace the ways in which techno-science has become part of our everyday cultures, and how both scientific and technological change affect some of the most basic categories of our living in the world, including how we perceive time, deal with our bodies or interact with each other in society.